The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-08-28
IGNATIUS D0NNELLY.
Dethr0nement of Shakespeare.
Elaborate Exposition Of the Literary
Sensatisnalist's Views.
Prof. Thomas Davidson, the Well
Known Critic, Visits Him,
He Is Shaken In His Faith In Shake.
speare's Authorship.
The Great Play Writers Character,
Education and Cspability In
vestigated-stacks of Manu.
script Examined.

NRw YORK, August 27.-The World
tomorrow will contain very elab.
orste exposition Of Mr.. Ignatus Dom
nelly's attempt to dethrone Shake.
speare, and award the authorship OF
the so-called Shakespeare plays to
Lord Bacon. Tie article Is written by
Prof. Thomas Davidson, q we'll known
scholar, philosopher and critic, whose
opinion as to Mr.. Donnelly's work
cannot fail to carry great weight.
Davidson recently paid Mr.. Don
nelly @ visit at his home in Hastings,
Mimi, examined the manuscript Of
his forthcoming work, the "Great
Cryptogram," had the main features
Of the cipher explained to him, and
obtained permission to report. Before
examining Mr.. Donnelly's work Mr..
Davidson was an entire skeptic In re-
gard to the Bacon theory, but he now
admits that he is very much shaken
in his belief that the plays were writ.
ten by Shakespeare, and declares that
II they had come down to us without
any authors name attached they
would have been unhesitatingly at.
trlbuted TO Bacon. He rays he
reached this conviction altogether
apart from the cipher. The article
gives brief summary OF the results
reached in Mr.. Donnelly's book,
which is to be published about the lst
oil December, by the firm Of K s.
Peale x 90, oil Chicago. The book lie
divided into two parts, an argument
aud q demonstration. The for mer
collects, arranges and suns mp gll
the arguments that have been put
forward In the last thirty years
in favor OF the Bsconian theory, and
adds q large number 10 them. The
author first endeavors TO show that
the education and character OF Will.
lam Shakespeare were such that II is
even ridiculous 10 mention that he
could have written plays that are dis
titled from all the wisdom and learning
OF the world. He shows that bis edo.
cation must have been extremely
meager, while that OF tho author Of
the plays was broad and deep. He
emphasizes the fact that We have no
record OF any study on the part Of
Shakespeare. His account Of Shake.
speare's character will certainly be q
surprise TO most readers. He shows
him to have been stepped In almost
every kind Of vice; 10 have been q
iornicator, an adulterer, a usurer, an
oppressor Of the p5or, q drunkard, q
systematic liar and forger OF pediprets,
dying In the prime Of life from the 70.
suits OF q three days drunken spree.
He next shows tina. We have no record
that Shakeeps ire ever owned library,
or even a book, and that not a simple
| scrap OF manuscript OF bic has come
down 10 u, not even letter to any Of
the numerous men with whom he 10
known to have been acquainted; nay,
more, that there isextsnt no letter nd.
dressed TO him, except one asking for
q loan OF money. There Ia nothing TO
show that Shakespeare was not very
nearly illiterste. Mr.. Donnelly next
proves very clearly tina, while the
author Of the plays was an accom-.
plished lawyer, there Ia nothing 10
chow that Shakespeare ever opened q
Law book or was inside n lawyers oil.
fee, except on usurious business.
Having demonstrated 10 bis own
satisfaction that the nuthor OF the
plays was not Shakespeare. Mr.. Don.
nelly next proceeds TO prove that the
author Of the plays was q
profound and learned philosopher.
He trests Of tie geography OF
the p anete, and here. he brings GU,
some most tell tate facts. While
neither Siratlord (whers shakespeai o
Was borD) nor Avon are ever once
mentioned In the plays, Stalbaps, the
home OF Bacon, 10 mentioned twenty.
three times. He next shows that the
politics and the religion OF the writer
OF the plays are identical with Bacon's
politics and religion, and that what
Bacon declared 10 be his great life
purpose is fully txempllfsd Ia the
playe. A chapter Ia devoted 10 Bhcon's
reasons for conceslment, and here
comes out some startling facts. II a..
pears not only,that Bacon wrote works
which he never publicly acknowl.
edged, but that no Ia addressed by one
OF his friends 90 the grestest wit 10
England, though not known M such
by HE own name. Among the reasons
for concealment Mr.. Donnelly puts the
-lls.z.I saA1AWAa IL IL A..
plays, which was 10 encourage treason.
The first part Of the work closss with
a long lieiloi parallelisms between Ba.
cons acknowledged works and the
shAkespeaiian plays, identical ex'
prtssione, metaphors, opinions, quota
lions, studiee, error, use OF unusual
words, character and style. These
paralleIisms will occupy over seventy
{ oiely printed pages. The result Of
the whols argument, according 10 VT
Davidson, Is TO leave upon the mind q
e,rong impression that, II Bicon wal
not the sole author Of the plays, he
had, AZ least, n pril cipa hand in b. en-
tupplying the scholarship, tho art aud
the philosophy. After the argument
making the authorship Of Bacon proba
BILE comes the demonstration, that IL
the cipher narrative, which has al
ready aroused 40 mucn interest 10 thu
public. The article In the World telll
how Mr.. Donnsl y came 10 look Tor
cipher, and the lsboriou, process b,
which he found IL las he believes.
The story Il full Of interest. As 10 tn
cipher itself, Mr.. Davidson does no
claim 10 be In q petition TO entirel!
satisfy the public, not having recsiye,
from Mr. Donnelly The ul,imat
formula Of H. He dcoe, hoEoyer, ex
preso his strong conviction that Mi
D,nnelly IL neither q iran,
nor "crank." To clear ava
epy feeling Of this sor
, on The part OF the public, hc gives I
brief account Of Mr. Donnelly's career
and a description Of his simple HON
III Ga Minnesota. II seems that MI
Donnelly 10 a quiet, genial, country
loving, studious man, devoted Z
Thought and fond Of . good oke. tn
pIcture drawn Of bis lie on he Mi
sissIppi bluff 10 charming. IL bein